Stability

[Fred Flintstone]

When going faster than I probably should or if there is a strong cross wind I find myself fighting to keep a straight line on a smooth highway. Would like a good stable ride. It feels a little out of control. Don't really need a track car. I understand the stock setup is pretty good but just a more stable feel needed, camber bolts, sway bars what??? Keep it simple. Back in the day owned a 280Z, very stable even at high speed. What's the difference??? I appreciate any help thanks!!!

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Fred Flintstone

When going faster than I probably should or if there is a strong cross wind I find myself fighting to keep a straight line on a smooth highway. Would like a good stable ride. It feels a little out of control. Don't really need a track car. I understand the stock setup is pretty good but just a more stable feel needed, camber bolts, sway bars what??? Keep it simple. Back in the day owned a 280Z, very stable even at high speed. What's the difference??? I appreciate any help thanks!!!

I had a 240Z. As awesome at it was in the triple digits, the FRS is even better.

Before you go with any mods I suggest you get a good alignment. Get it dead nuts with just a touch of toe in up front. I forget if that's negative or positive. "Almost there" versus "just right" makes a big difference. Factory alignment is a quickie job.


Oh, make sure your tires are all inflated equally. It's really sensitive to even a few PSI out.

[Pat]

When was the last time you had the car aligned? What are your tire pressures?

[Twinz]

+1 for proper alignment. Your car seems too new to have issues with bushings already, but make sure they check those too when they align the car. (Just in case)

[PeterFRS]

I think I kind of get where youre coming from..
I religiously get it aligned every season at a perf shop..
BUT
where I'm from winds are really strong off the rockies into the praries (where I am)
and those rare really strong winds days I do feel that the car is "hovering" a little bit when the steering gets a little lighter and wobbles a little bit...
perhaps splitter and rear diffuser might help mitigate that a little better? I have yet to try it out..

[cjd]

A little toe in for the back (doesn't need to be much at all) and, as mentioned, tire pressure. A proper rear diffuser may help since there's a tiny bit of lift in the back stock, but it shouldn't be needed. With zero toe and enough camber the car follows ruts and uneven crown, I still don't find the car needs work to keep going straight...

[fatoni]

Caster?

[Vracer111]

Originally Posted by Fred Flintstone

When going faster than I probably should or if there is a strong cross wind I find myself fighting to keep a straight line on a smooth highway. Would like a good stable ride. It feels a little out of control. Don't really need a track car. I understand the stock setup is pretty good but just a more stable feel needed, camber bolts, sway bars what??? Keep it simple. Back in the day owned a 280Z, very stable even at high speed. What's the difference??? I appreciate any help thanks!!!

Most likely the stock tires. That's the one thing about the stock tires I remember when I ran them, they are good and by no means feel bad, but the car is prone to drift around some at higher speed and in crosswinds. Responsive, stiff sidewalled tire with low rolling resistance compound = tire that effects the chassis some with crosswind influence. Gives the car a somewhat 'floaty' feeling. My car is really stable cruising at interstate speeds with significant crosswinds. The only difference now is I'm running a grippier and smaller diameter tire with much less sidewall stiffness (205/45-17 Continental DW) . The FR-S does not get blown around like it did on the stock tires, and the free CG drop from diameter reduction adds a more stable feeling to the handling.

ALSO, you could try putting some weight in the trunk and see if that helps...like 150lbs or so in the form of packing for a vacation/roadtrip. Car seems to be very stable and impervious to crosswinds when in vacation mode...

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Vracer111

ALSO, you could try putting some weight in the trunk and see if that helps...like 150lbs or so in the form of packing for a vacation/roadtrip. Car seems to be very stable and impervious to crosswinds when in vacation mode...

Yeah, what's that all about? :/

[Brayden_23]

Try getting a tad bit of toe in for the front at an alignment shop. Don't buy wider tires as those are prone to "tracking" on the road more. To reduce being floaty at high speeds, front aero would probably help the most if alignment doesn't solve it. Could be a front splitter or you could add the TracSpec hood louvers which supposedly add an insane amount of downforce in the front.

[renfield90]

Guys, we have a lighter car. If the wind is strong enough and you're going fast enough, you *will* get pushed off your intended line. Reduce speed in high crosswinds and you'll be more stable.

[Gunman]

I noticed after I installed the DWL side splitters, that cross winds, and dirty air from large trucks didn't affect the car as much...which is exactly what the side splitter should do, since their intent is to increase downforce in yaw.

Aero, should follow mechanical grip issues though, start with an alignment.

[wparsons]

Check tire pressures, and get a good alignment. 0 toe up or a 1/16" total toe in up front, and 1/16"-1/8" total rear toe in.

Mine tracks dead straight on my summer tires with 0 front toe and 1/16" total in the rear, but on the snow tires in a heavy wind it does get blown around a bit. Front toe in should help, but like someone said above you might just have to reduce speed a bit if it bugs you in heavy crosswinds.

[Racecomp Engineering]

A good alignment and tire pressures are step one with ANY performance car tuning IMO.

If you haven't done that yet...you need to do that.

- Andrew